Gaiden: Fireworks over the River
by Robot-LavaPlant
Summary: Cinder and her group arrive at the forgotten ruins of her childhood town; where a spark alight the memories of a pink-bow girl whose smile was brighter than any firework.


****Author's Note:I decided to whip up a fanfic for /r/RWBY's MonCon July involving Cinder and fireworks.****

 ** **This is a gaiden for my other story The Fairy Queen and The Pauper; so expect a ton of spoilers since it is a distant finale of it and my other RWBY stories kinda.  
****

 ** **This one shot will include a lot of small stuff that is entwined with my other stories ; but the plot is clear enough that it doesn't need it as much.****

 ** **Enjoy reading my weird Cinder crack paring involving fireworks.****

* * *

 **Gaiden: Fireworks Over The River**

A trio of strangers rode horseback on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Atlas.

It was an hour ride back towards the safety of the walled prefecture of Stollen build just outside Atlas. The Grimm were nothing to them, much less any sullen bandits. It was ten minutes more into the countryside before they arrive at their destination. Cinder's wish.

Mercury looked positively bored. A yawn here and there, with eyelids halfway down, and his hands barely on the rein.

Emerald on the other hand _tried_ to fare better. She wasn't one to question Cinder's orders or wishes. She tried to improve on them which meant it was usually met with Cinder's soft-spoken ire. Emerald only wished to make her happy; she looked up to her ever since they were mere children, met by chance in Stollen all those years ago.

But Cinder hasn't been truly happy in a long time.

Since those years, Cinder has grown into a complicated woman. Ironic. As she preferred the simple things in life. Simple things like Fireworks. Colorful and brilliant explosions that provoked awe and wonder despite being so simple. Awesome to a young girl when she first saw them after one of the many trouble days.

And it had another memory that accompanied it. The memory of her first friend. A more dazzling display of Fireworks that celebrated an achievement came along after; it also brought a new memory. The memory of her falling in love with her friend.

After years of complicated planning spanning more than a decade now. Plans that involve the worst of the worst. Despite all the wrong she has did for her own twisted right, she still was human, no matter how many times she tried to suppress the emotions. And with that raw emotions piling up over her head, she wanted to return to a simpler time.

The sky was deep orange with red, pink and deep purple at the lower horizon. It was hard to tell apart the tree lines and the looming darkness of the land.

"Is that it Cinder?" Emerald pointed out.

"Huh?" Mercury who was just _really_ resting his eyes, shook awake with his partner's enthusiastic role. Blinking twice, he squinted his eyes to get a better view. "Is that really it Cinder?" he turn to her. She said nothing as they kept on moving on the dirt road passing by the charred remains of blasted fields and a empty farm house.

"So this was your hometown?" Mercury stopped his horse to get a better look of a overgrown stone monument bearing the message: "Welcome to Via. The future beacon of Remnant." He tut-tut out loud. "Not too shabby," the sarcasm very obvious.

"Mercury!" Emerald hissed at him. She dragged Mercury out and knocking him into the ground. It spooked the animal and it let out a frightened cry.

"Hey!" Mercury was furious but his partner cut him off. "Don't mouth off about Cinder's home. Do that again and I'll-"

"Enough from both of you."

They held still by her order. It was inculcated into their subconscious so much they wouldn't dare breath or move without her say. But today, instead of the wicked smirk or cold glare, she look neutral as can be. Passing them she went straight for the animal still startled, kicking its front legs and waving its mane around.

Calmly she paid full attention towards its needs and gently stroked the horse's snout. Miraculously, it started to calm down, Cinder whispered to soothe it more. The two henchmen were bewildered; they never seen her like this. After the horse settled down, she grabbed the reins along with the other horses', and then she went towards Mercury which she forcefully gave them to him.

"There is a reservoir not too far from that grove over there." she pointed back at the dirt road north-east. "Lead them to the water." Cinder then turn to Emerald. "Patrol the town border. That is an order Emerald."

She left them-still bewildered-as she entered the smoky and burned ruins of a town that was.

Cinder had a history with this town. On again off again periods in which she loved and hated the town. She barely remembered the times when her father was the mayor of Via. After his mysterious death, she lived a decade as a pauper earning a hard living.

Arriving at the square in front of the remains of the mayor's dwelling/official office. The small park nothing but dirt and logs. Claw marks all around the blacken buildings; the town signaled its final hour with a devastating Grimm attack. Cinder stood silent among it all.

It was enough.

She wanted to think of better memories; the ones where a new mayor moved into town, and started a unselfish trend for the better. Memories of the equally unselfish granddaughter he brought along; her first friend.

The sounds of debris rolling down provoked her into a battle stance. The fire in her hand lit the culprit: soft and cold summer air moving stone fragments off a fallen bell tower. Unlike the rest of the structures it looked like it was melted in some kinda attack. But the bell survived.

The brass bell invoked so many memories; of course she hated it too. Not because it was loud but it held her in command for so long.

Feeling unusually lighthearted mischievousness she kicked it.

* * *

 ***Gong!***

 **Thirteen Years ago.**

 _"Cinder!"_

Among the general excitement in the air the little girl's attention was held by the sparkler in her hand. The park alive with the townspeople as they celebrated a monumental achievement through the mayor and community's efforts: a new and large reservoir. It lit up many people's spirits, they truly believed in the new motto of the town. This will be a beacon of Remnant.

"Salutations Cinder!" an excitable voice called through the crowds.

The little girl turned around to see the source of the voice calling out to her among the deafening fanfare.

Her best friend: Penelope Polendina.

The slightly taller brunette was wearing a simpler blue dress than her usual getup. This one had butterflies patterned all over it. But regardless she still wouldn't get rid off her out of place brown boots that were wear with dry mud. Her hair tied up in a ponytail with her "always there" pink bow, the hair still curled next to her chin.

"I see you're enjoying the evening." Penelope smiled; it grew into a brighter one. "Ah! I just love that dress on you Cinder. Where did you get it?"

Cinder was wearing a simple but elegantly constructed red dress with a green sash in the middle. Flicking off the embers of the sparkler she spoke. "Your father gave it to me." Cinder's eyes rolled up, placing her finger tentatively on her lips. "He said that, 'my future daughter-in-law should look nice for my daughter'." Cinder remembered the graying man in green garb chuckling when he told her.

Penelope tilted her head. " 'Future daughter-in-law'?" she thought about it. Then a mad blush covered her freckles and green-eyes grew wide. "That D-dummy, my f-father!" she became understandably flustered.

"Penelope? What is a daughter-in-law?" the little girl asked innocently. It was feign, she did knew.

Penelope froze still. "um, lets forgot about that for now." she grabbed Cinder's wrist. "Come on, the fireworks display should be about an hour or so. Grandpa Victor has saved us a great location for us to watch, I promise it will be just sensational."

Cinder smiled and nodded before she remembered something. "Actually Penelope, I have something to show you."

* * *

 ***Gong!***

Cinder's first genuine smile in years turn sour as the shouting of her name and scurrying of fast foot steps came towards her. With a fireball in her hand she fired it into a blind corner of a hollowed building. Emerald with her reflexes dodged the fireball as it blasted the wall. She rolled and looked up to Cinder who had a confused expression.

"Cinder, it's me." she pleaded as she slowly raised herself. "I'm sorry. I just heard the loud noise and I-"

"I told you to patrol the border." her hand still aimed at Emerald. "Stay around the perimeter. I'll be gone for an hour. " Cinder strode towards her. "That's an order; so obey it. Or else." she flicked her fingers, igniting a small fire near Emerald's frighten and sill face. Cinder had her sweating at the threat before she left and disappeared among the ruins to the wilderness beyond.

The loyal henchmen stood petrified, standing still and never moving. Mercury who was less urgent, causally came in to see what all the commotion was about. He caught a glimpse of Cinder leaving, and then the shocked silent partner looking vacantly at the last sighting.

Mercury came up to her, still nonchalant, but with a hint of worry and curiosity. "Hey what happen? Where is she going?"

"I don't know." she said in a small voice.

He sighed. "So I guess we're going to have to wait here. So bogus." he leaned back against rubble, he gave the shiny bell a glance and kicked it.

* * *

 ***Gong!***

"Why are we going to Fort Blanco, Cinder?" Penelope shouted between breaths, jogging after Cinder.

Cinder felt unusually happy today, and with it usually mischievous. She taunted her friend for the answer by leading a chase of sorts deep in the wilderness outside the town. Into the woods, they followed the old horse trail, passing the wide wooden bridge over the gurgling stream, under the broken moon's light it lit the white bell-tower that rose over the tree lines.

Cinder halted her run, spinning back towards Penelope as she kick away fallen leafs. "I just want show you something. I thought it be better here." She said with a smile under a white brick arch.

"So I see." Penelope said catching her breath.

The smile she gave Cinder turn into a surprised frown as her friend span around again and continued her run, telling her to "Come on!" as an encouragement. Penelope kicked her brown boots and went after her into the bell tower inside the old fort walls.

"Wait Cinder!" Penelope had trouble catching up to her on the creaky but still sturdy wooden stairs spiraling inside the tower. "It's only to the top. I promised." Cinder shot her a smile from above. For whatever reason the girl in blue became flustered. Ignoring that, she wondered how was it that Cinder was quickly climbing the stairs while she had difficulty.

Then she remembered the slippers that she gave her. Glass Slippers that practically made her glide almost everything. The girl in red made it to the top without trouble even while holding a small bag that was still half her size.

Penelope finally made it to the top not soon after. Cinder was there looking over the stone edge at the glow of the town outside the forest. Penelope's boots thumped the floor as she ambled over. She couldn't help but admire Cinder under the moon's light. Shaking off the blush she approached her.

"The home looks nice, doesn't it?" Penelope said.

"Yes." Cinder replied. "The fireworks will be pretty cool from here I bet." She turn to her friend. "Allow me to demonstrate."

Holding Penelope's curious gaze, Cinder pulled out three vials of brown, red, and green substance. "It's been a few months now. Since you've been teaching me the mechanics of Dust."

"And you've been an attentive pupil, and a modest employee, Cinder." she nodded.

Cinder looked at her like she was _still_ the weirdest thing in the universe before briefly turning away her heated and smiling face. "A-anyway. I thought we work on the more mundane but pretty applications of Dust." Putting cloth of woven red Dust on her palm she flicked it and it ignited a small manageable fire. "By making a more unique firework!"

Cinder's body bathed in orange glow as she concentrated her Aura. She threw as far she can the Dust vials over the edge and towards the night sky. Narrowing her amber eyes she focused; the fire in her hand grew large and she flicked it towards the vials. The fire itself was infused with Cinder's Aura, and thus her wishes and thoughts. The fire streamed and engulfed the vials and continued to carry them.

"Hope this works like before." she only practiced it in secret.

"It will." Penelope encouraged, with full trust.

With a loud shrill the fire ignited the vials and exploded over the sky as a cascading array of red, green, and orange. But that wasn't the feature. They both stood as awe as the explosion turn into a gliding and glowing glass butterfly made by the combination of the Dust and Cinder's Aura manipulation.

"It's…" Penelope couldn't' find a word.

Cinder smiled. "Sensational?"

The butterfly glowed bluish-white by the results of the moon. They kept watching it glide, that is until it started break down. But instead of harmlessly disintegrating it exploded again with a storm of fire. They gasp as the falling fire threatening to ignite a forest fire.

Penelope quickly reach into her side pouch and drew two vials of wind and ice Dust. Her body glowed in blue Aura and she threw the vials towards the potential fire storm. The combined efforts of both Dust, turning to a large pool of water, extinguished the flames and rained on the trees below.

Both sighed. Cinder looked very disappointed as her head drooped. "I'm an idiot."

Penelope gasp. She then grabbed Cinder by the little shoulders. "That's a terrible thing to say! it was just a minor flub!"

"If that's a minor flub then what about the future major flubs I would make years from now?" her head drooped again.

Penelope stood there silent. "You don't know the future my friend. Like the river we past by, the future is ever changing; for the good or the better. It's better to think about the now for _eh_ now. You here as my...as the person...that I…"

 **Pop! Crackle! Pop!**

Their heads jerked at the sight of the loud sound. The fireworks; a myriad of colors started bursting over Via. One after another the colorful explosion blew up outwardly and disappeared in the cool summer night. They were bit disappointed that they weren't there first hand. But the view here was nice and good enough.

"Cool." Cinder said.

"Without a doubt." Penelope said.

Coiling their little fingers around each other, they stayed together and watch from the bell-tower of Fort Blanco.

* * *

 ***Gong!***

After all this years this place was Cinder's center of the universe. When she was a little girl with her rustic and kind mother, to when she was pauper living a harsh and estranged life, to the day she met her first friend.

Now in the isolated meadow, there was only a headstone in the middle of it.

 _Here lies Penelope Polendina Ozpin_

 _Irreplaceable daughter_

 _Beloved granddaughter_

 _The Fairy Queen_

 _Hero gone too soon._

Cinder brushed away the leafs covering it. Looking understandingly melancholy.

"A devil like me didn't deserve someone like you. I took you away from this world, but for what. Everything is according to plan, falling in place. Soon Remnant will be mine for the taking, but for what. When I'm done with my plan I could bring you back without any regard for the laws of the universe because I will _have_ rewritten them. I could bring you back but I am afraid of what you will say to me."

* * *

 ***Gong!***

"Salutations Cinder."

The woman in a white summer dress in a red waist sash turned around to the voice calling for her. The other woman of early twenties, in a light-sky blue dress with a midriff blue jacket, brunette haired tied up in the "always there" pink bow smiled at Cinder.

"Hows the weather?" it was cool summer evening.

Cinder smirked. "Penelope, is that another tall joke?" older girl couldn't let the fact that Cinder grew taller than her. Only reuniting once again after ten years.

"Oh my, that's not where I was going for." she smiled playfully.

Penelope then looked closely at Cinder; she was youthful still, her amber eyes however told a different story; they were eyes that were many years beyond her age. Eyes that kept wandering the plane of another Remnant for ages looking for meaning and forgiveness.

"In the other, alternative timeline...you were looking at my resting place, weren't you?

Cinder's eyes widen then looked away with sorrow. "I did...long ago."

Penelope walked over to Cinder and with her pale hand guided her chin towards her. It was a much needed kiss.

"I forgave you. I woke up alive in this timeline, and now you are here too. I couldn't be happier."

Cinder smiled, suppressing a soft choked up cough. "Well in this timeline you _are_ my fiancee."

Penelope skipped backwards, heading towards the mouth of the meadow. "Yup; your one and only, always!"

"Come on," she gestured her to come up the hill. "The girls want to see you. Ever since I made them, they were always curious about the girl in the picture frame who held their mother's heart. Your daughters want to see you."

Cinder chuckled. "I guess you can't program love and curiosity." she took Penelope's hand as she helped her up the stone hill.

"Nope!" Penelope said to her.

The fairy-girl now woman, turn back to the meadow.

She spoke softly. "I have loved you Cinder. No matter what timeline, or version of me, I will always be there to watch out for you. "

* * *

 ** **Author's final Note:Thanks for reading.  
****


End file.
